Candidates for Hawthorn Woods village board differ on downtown ambitions

The five candidates for three seats on the Hawthorn Woods village board differ on whether the village should try to build, or encourage building, a downtown of its own.

Farah Laman, a first-time candidate who has lived in the village for eight years, said it would be great for the community to have a downtown similar to the one in Lake Geneva with cute, friendly shops and businesses. Laman said having businesses would also attract residents from other communities and help grow the village's sales tax base.

Incumbent Dominick DiMaggio, who joined the board in 2010, agreed and said having a downtown area would be a dream for the village. DiMaggio, who has lived in Hawthorn Woods for 22 years, said that is something residents talk about often.

DiMaggio said for years developers have told the board that the village doesn't have the proper density to support a downtown. He said the board has approved five new subdivisions in five years.

"We're trying to develop density to support a downtown, that's our goal," DiMaggio said.

The candidates in the April 2 election gathered to discuss their priorities for the village at a meeting with the Daily Herald editorial board.

Incumbent Michael David said he didn't think a having a downtown was realistic for Hawthorn Woods. David, who is seeking a third term, said he loves going to communities that have downtowns but argued that Hawthorn Woods didn't have the infrastructure to support one. He said residents would only need to travel four miles down the road to see the "ghost town" that is downtown Long Grove.

"I would encourage people to appreciate what we have here," David said. "I wanted a movie theater, I wanted an ice cream parlor. lollipops and ponies, I want it all, but I don't think we're going to get it."

First time candidate Ekwutosi Ufodike agreed with David's assessment and said she didn't think Hawthorn Woods was a city of larger developments.

"We can go to other places," said Ufodike, who has lived in the village for about a year. "We want to keep it intimate and beautiful and safe."

Incumbent Steve Riess said he wants commercial investment in the village, but doesn't see a new downtown happening.

"The current state of retail is uncertain," said Riess, who has been a resident since 1987 and a trustee since 1999. "It's unlikely that a large retail company will make an investment into Hawthorn Woods given the current flux of retail world."